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FeaturesWhy Fiber Broadband?Latest FOA Book - Fiber Broadband New Fiber U MiniCourse - Project Management What Do You Mean, Certification? FTTH Needs Premises Cabling Techs Knowing How You Learn Is Important Using Hand Tools Understanding Apprenticeships The Adman Ever Tech Marketer Should Know More Translations Of FOA Textbooks Cross Reference To FOA Tech Materials Newsletter SectionsClick on any link to jump to that sectionNews FOA School News Telecom Fiji Gets Trained, Instructors Also Warriors4Wireless Training in SC California Breaks Ground On $3B Project Lexington, TN Electric Utility FTTH Project FOA School in KY Needs Help After Floods Technical 144 Fiber Connector Protection For Buried Cables Managing Projects - Gantt Charts Guidelines For Patch Panels FOA Color Code Guides FOA Online Loss Budget Calculator Worth Reading Lots of interesting articles Q&A Questions from our readers Always Interesting! Training/FiberU New FOA-Approved Schools, Fiber U MiniCourses more Resources New FOA Technical Resources Safety About the FOA FOA Certified Techs:  Special offer - 1/3 Off Renewal Jobs
Where Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics? FOA talks about all the applications for fiber optics, what jobs involve and the qualifications for the workers in the field in this YouTube video. Want to be notified when the FOA Newsletter is updated? Sign up for the FOA eMail Newsletter. You can also sign up from your cell phone: text "FOA" to 22828 (usual text message charges apply) Trademarks: The FOA CFOT® (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) and Fiber U® (the FOA online learning site) are registered trademarks of the FOA.  Want to know more about fiber optics? Looking for specific information? Here's the largest technical reference on the web: The FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.  Free online self-study programs on many fiber optics and cabling topics are available at Fiber U, FOA's online web-based training website. FOA Reference Books Available Printed or eBooks The fiber book is available in Spanish and French   
  
  Lennie and Uncle Ted's Guides are now also available as free iBooks on iTunes. 
 Click on any of the books to learn more.
FOA Videos on  FOA is a member of: The FOA Newsletter is edited by Jim Hayes - send your stories, leads, ideas, comments to <jim @ foa.org>  Search the FOA Website With DuckDuckGo Top Stories From The 2021 FOA Newsletters
1/13, 2/13, 3/13, 4/13, 5/13, 6/13, 7/13, 8/13, 9/13, 10/13, 11/13, 12/13 1/12 , 2/12, 3/12, 4/12, 6/12, 7/12, 8/12, 9/12, 10/12, 11/12, 12/12 1/11 , 2/11, 3/11, 4/11, 6/11, 7/11, 8/11, 9/11, 10/11, 11/11, 12/11, 1/10 , 2/10, 3/10, 4/10, 05/10, 07/10, 08/10, 09/10, 10/10, 11/10 1/09 , 2/09, 3/09, 04/09, 05/09, 07/09, 08/09, 09/09, 10/09, 11/09, 12/09 1/08 , 2/08, 3/08, 4/08, 5/08, 6/08, 7/08, 8/08, 09/08, 10/08, 11/08, 12/08 12/07 , 11/07, 10/07, 09/07, 08/07, 07/07, 06/07, 05/07, 04/07, 03/07, 2/07, 1/07 12/06 , 11/06, 10/06, 09/06, 8/06, 7/06, 6/06, 5/06, 4/06, 3/06, 2/06, 1/06, 12/05 ,11/05, 10/05, 09/05, 08/05, 07/05, 6/05, 5/05, 4/05, 2/05, 01/05, 12/04 , 10/04, 9/04, 8/04, 7/04, 6/04, 5/04, 4/04, 3/04, 1/04, 12/03 , 11/03 10/03 9/03, 8/03, 7/03, 6/03, 3/03, 10/02 , 8/02, 5/02 Current Issue of FOA Newsletter Time To Renew Your FOA Certifications?To keep your FOA certifications active, you need to renew them when they expire. Now we have a new more convenient way to renew - an online store at Paypal - where you can quickly and conveniently use your PayPal account or your credit card to renew your certifications.Join FOA On
Social Media
 
FOA has 3 LinkedIn Groups FOA - official page on LinkedIn - covers FOA, technology and jobs in the fiber optic marketplace FOA Fiber Optic Training - open to all, covers fiber optic technology and training topics Grupo de La Asociación de Fibra Óptica FOA (Español) |
Why Fiber Broadband?When FOA began working on the new book on Fiber
Broadband, we needed a graphic to illustrate the relative speeds of
today's broadband technologies, so we created this graph: 
Cellular 5G and WiFi 6 can provide gigabit speeds
or even a bit faster under ideal conditions, cable modems to the latest
DOCSIS standards can too. But versions of GPON are already delivering
10G to homes and businesses, and the regular GPON (2.5G down/1.25G up)
has been around over a decade. Some systems are already testing 25G GPON
and 100G is in development. If we assume, as most do, that bandwidth
requirements will increase in the future, fiber has the capability to
grow - it's capable of terabits/second. FTTH, especially in a
network like Netly built in Solana Beach, CA (FOA Newsletter July 2022). That's why fiber is the solution for broadband.
However as we mentioned last month, we all depend on wireless, so both
must coexist. New: Fiber Broadband FAQs - most asked questions about Fiber Broadband.
Latest FOA Book: Fiber Broadband (Paperback and Kindle)
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.jpg)
| Certifications |
Certification Provider: The Fiber Optic Association |
Certification Provider: Other |
| Name of Certification |
CFOT(TM) |
|
| Certifying body |
The Fiber Optic Association Inc. |
|
| Type of certifying body |
Non-profit professional organization |
|
| Year First Offered |
1997 |
|
| Number Certified |
89,000+ (10/2022) |
|
| Number of trainers offering the certification |
200+ in 40+ countries |
|
| Number of classes given by affiliated training organizations |
11,000+ |
|
| Developed by: |
Independent industry advisors and trainers worldwide |
|
| Criteria for certification |
FOA KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities) |
|
| References for knowledge tests |
FOA textbooks, online Guide, industry standards, Fiber U |
|
| Options for training classes or work experience |
Yes, Approved schools, work-to- cert, OJT-to-cert |
|
| Provides curriculum |
Yes, free to approved schools, available for all certification topics |
|
| Industry standards |
Follows all US and international fiber optic standards |
|
| Customize curriculum |
Yes, instructor may customize curriculum adding specific materials appropriate for their classes |
|
| Online testing |
Classmarker, free to school |
|
| Conforms to ISO 17024 |
Yes |
|
| Certifies Instructors |
Yes, CFOS/I |
|
| Certification programs for additional skills and applications |
Yes, 11, covering skills and applications |
Download a worksheet for comparing certifications and certification providers.
Fiber To The Home Needs Premises Cabling Techs Too
The FOA CPCT certification covers premises cabling for FTTHA new FOA school which is part of our group of schools supporting workforce development for fiber broadband reminded us of that fact. At FOA we have certifications to support fiber techs installing fiber anywhere (CFOT) and fiber techs working on FTTH projects (CFOS/H). But a new instructor we were tutoring through the FOA instructor certification process discovered the CPCT. The CPCT covers all aspects of premises cabling - copper, fiber and wireless - for installations in corporate offices, commercial buildings and even has a module on residential cabling.
Installing 3M ClearTrack fiber along a wall in a residence.
The residential cabling module in the CPCT was created explicitly to train FTTH techs installing FTTH inside the residence, either a single family home or a multi-dwelling unit (MDU.) When this instructor showed interest in the CPCT, we did some curriculum update to include new technology being used inside the customer premises for connecting their devices, based on material on FTTH already available online.
Now FOA training organizations have available another module for their fiber broadband courses. It makes sense to train two types of FTTH techs, the basic fiber optic techs who can design, install and test the distribution and drop cables and the customer premises tech who knows how to install copper and fiber cables and connect WiFi inside the home.
For those techs who have been doing corporate premises networks and seeing a slowdown due to the "pandemic - work from home" exodus from the office, FTTH can be a new area of focus, especially MDUs which more closely resembles the office building.
Knowing How You Learn Is Important To Learning
A recent article in the university R&D newsletter Futurity called "2 Tricks Will Help You Learn And Remember"
caught our eye. It was written by a professor of psychology at Iowa
State University, Shana Carpenter who examined 100 years of research on
learning.“The benefits of spacing and retrieval practice have been confirmed over and over in studies in labs, classrooms, workplaces, but the reason why we’re showcasing this research is because these two techniques haven’t fully caught on. If they were utilized all the time, we’d see drastic increases in learning,” says Carpenter.
In the paper, Carpenter and her coauthors describe spacing as a strategy to learn in small doses over time. It’s the opposite of cramming the night before an exam. Carpenter says there isn’t a universal rule about how much time to schedule between practice sessions. But research shows returning to the material after forgetting some—but not all—of the content is effective.
Retrieval practice is a strategy that involves recalling what was learned previously. It can take many forms, including flash cards, practice tests, and open-ended writing prompts, and helps learners recognize what they do and don’t know. The paper’s authors emphasize that people who check their responses for errors or get feedback right away learn even better.
More than 200 studies show people generally retain more information for longer periods of time with retrieval practice compared to strategies that do not involve retrieval (e.g., re-reading a textbook.)
The authors argue people who combine spacing and retrieval practice have the best chance of remembering information.
Those of you who have taken courses on FOA's online learning site Fiber U know that that's how courses on Fiber U are structured. Courses are broken up into short lessons, typically less than an hour each, followed by a "Test Your Comprehension" quiz. That quiz is set up to help the user evaluate their comprehension, but does not just grade their answers right or wrong. It returns the graded questions with an explanation of the correct answer, reinforcing the learning process.
What Prof. Carpenter is saying is take a course at Fiber U at your leisure. Finish a session, take the quiz, understand the answers, then go back and review the study material to reinforce learning it. When you feel confident in your know;edge of the material, go to the next lesson.
Using Hand Tools
In a recent conversation with a person who trains a lot of techs in the use of fusion splicers, he made a very interesting comment on training. He said that the biggest problem he had training people, especially young people, is they were unfamiliar with the use of simple hand tools. His opinion is that young people today are learning how to use a keyboard or touch screen, but not how to use a screwdriver, pliers or hammer.Unfortunately, this is not the first time we've heard this comment and we've seen it ourselves in training classes.
Stripping fiber in the Fiber U DIY Basic Skills Lab
In the FOA curriculum, we tell teachers to start students with a cable handling lab, where they learn to use basic fiber optic tools. FOA also has the Fiber U Do It Yourself Basic Skills Lab that shows you how to use basic tools as part of learning the basic fiber optic skill set.
Understanding Apprenticeships - Update (11/22)
On September 23, 2022, the U.S. Department of
Labor (DOL) announced a final rule to rescind the Industry-Recognized
Apprenticeship Program, (IRAP). The Final Rule will go into effect on
November 25, 2022. Beginning on the effective date, DOL will no longer
recognize Standards Recognized Entities (SREs) or IRAPs and IRAP related
content will be removed from the website.
IRAPs were created by Executive Order in June 2017 to promote the
development of apprenticeship programs by third parties. The Task Force
on Apprenticeship recommended the establishment of Industry-Recognized
Apprenticeship Programs to address America’s skills gap and to rapidly
increase the availability of high-quality apprenticeship programs in
sectors where apprenticeship opportunities are not widespread. (Ed note:
The third parties included a TV comedian's internship program.)
IRAP sponsors are being encouraged to consider registering their
programs with DOL or a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA). Such entities
are encouraged to reach out to the Apprenticeship Director in their
State to receive technical assistance and explore such options further.
US Department of Labor APPRENTICESHIP USA website
(Ed note: This means that industry apprenticeship programs must now conform to higher standards, e.g. those that govern established apprenticeships, most of which are in the construction industry and/or manged by unions, e.g. the IBEW?NECA Electrical Training Alliance which uses FOA curriculum in their electrical apprenticeship program.)
Most people's understanding of apprenticeships seems to stem from watching kids learning how to forge steel in Lord of the Rings videos or having learned in school about Ben Franklin being apprenticed to his brother James to learn printing. The FOA has a different view, having been a training partner with the IBEW/NECA/JATC union electrical apprenticeship program for over 25 years. Today there are 35 JATC apprenticeship programs using the FOA curriculum and certification to train and certify one of the largest groups of techs anywhere. These people have more than half a century experience running apprenticeships and a budget to sustain it.But as we have written before, most of the fiber optic workforce is not so organized. To have an apprentice, you need an employer, and most of the fiber optic workforce are contractors jumping from job to job.
Recently, the US Department of Labor set up a website for interested parties to comment on apprenticeships. Since the FOA has worked with the US Department of Labor for more than 20 years to define the fiber optic workforce, we felt obligated to contribute our experience.
You can read the FOA comments "Workforce development requires understanding the workforce" here.
Fiber Optic Conference For Latin America And South America - November 15-17 (Virtual)
Todo Fibra Optica, the new digital magazine in Spanish for fiber optics in Latin America and South America, is sponsoring #EXPOFIBRA, a virtual fiber optic conference in Spanish for the region. Under the motto “FIBER OPTICS: THE ELECTRICITY OF THE 21ST CENTURY”, # EXPOFIBRA will have the international participation of important industry leaders. In a very educational format, there will be demonstrations, workshops, talks, and round tables, and topics such as the importance of neutral networks, the advantages of underground networks, and regional and global development in telecommunications, among others, will be addressed.The Fiber Optic Association is a sponsor of #EXPOFIBRA and FOA Director Jerry Morla will be participating in sessions.
Conferencia de Fibra Óptica para América Latina y Sudamérica - 15-17 de noviembre (Virtual)
Todo Fibra Óptica, la nueva revista digital en español de fibra óptica en América Latina y Sudamérica, patrocina #EXPOFIBRA, una conferencia virtual de fibra óptica en español para la región. Bajo el lema de “FIBRA ÓPTICA: LA ELECTRICIDAD DEL SIGLO XXI”, #EXPOFIBRA contará con la participación internacional de importantes líderes de la industria. En un formato muy didáctico, habrán demostraciones, talleres, charlas y mesas redondas y se abordará temas como la importancia de las redes neutrales, las ventajas de redes subterráneas, el desarrollo regional y global en telecomunicaciones, entre otros.
The Fiber Optic Association es patrocinadora de #EXPOFIBRA y el Director de FOA, Jerry Morla, participará en las sesiones.
The Adman Every Tech Marketer Should Know
Recently the NYTimes carried the obituary of Al Ries, 95, probably the most influential marketing and advertising figure in history. Al and his partner Jack Trout, were the originators of "positioning," the idea that you must ensure a potential customer understands what your are - or want them to think you are. They also wrote the best marketing book of all times, "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing," a book I have personally given copies of to more than 50 marketers I know in high tech.
NYTimes 10/19/22
The two Laws I quote most are #4, the Law of Preception: The truth is irrelevant, what people believe is everything and #20 The Law of Hype: Real change does not get announced in a press release on the evening news, it sneaks in overnight and takes over when you aren't watching.
If you market or sell high tech and don't have a copy of the "22 Laws" close at hand for reference, you are flying BLIND!
JH/editor
From The October FOA Newsletter
Can Wireless Really Compete With Fiber? Should It? Who Cares - We Need Both!Satellites As A Wireless Alternative
Looking Beyond IIJA/BEAD - The Broadband Market After Saturation
Understanding Apprenticeships
The Myth Of "If You Standardize It, They Will Come"
Workforce Development Requires A Cooperative Effort
More Translations of FOA Textbooks
FOA is a very international organization and it works hard to
accommodate the language needs of everyone. We have been translating our
books and website into the languages most requested, and this month, we
add two more textbook translations. We also want to thank Jerry Morla,
FOA CFOS/I instructor and Director who has been doing the recent
translations into Spanish, his native language.
Details below.
FOA has a web page with resources on fiber broadband networks and the IIJA/BEAD funding programs.
Fiber Optic History - The Video
FOA recently created a timeline of fiber optic history to show how the technology and applications of fiber optics has developed in its 50+ year history. That seemed to be a perfect topic for one of the FOA video lectures, so we created FOA Lecture 73, The History of Fiber Optics - A Timeline available on YouTube.Cross Reference To FOA Technical Reference Materials
With a dozen textbooks in 4
languages, almost 1,000 pages of technical information on the FOA Guide,
100+ videos and two dozen online courses at Fiber U, all this can make
it difficult to find the right information. To help this, we have created a cross reference guides:
Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U FOA Videos Guide.
FOA Newsletter
Sections
News Technical Worth Reading Q&A Training/FiberU Resoures Safety About
News
FOA Training
FOA's roster of 200+ approved schools is growing as
more organizations recognize our expertise in workforce development and
our comprehensive support for getting new schools started. FOA has over
25 years experience and nearly 90,000 certified fiber techs (with
~120,000 certifications). As a non-profit organization founded by the
industry specifically to develop a competent workforce, FOA provides the
consultation, curriculum and contacts to get schools started as a free
service to new schools.
Here is some news about organizations being trained by FOA Approved Schools and Certified Instructors.
Training At Telecom Fiji
Andy Edwards of CommsLearning Limited emailed us as he was preparing to
head home to New Zealand that he had just spent time training personnel
at Telecom Fiji - 55 CFOT’s trained, 6 Designers and 4 instructors who
can deliver CFOT
internally with certifications going via
CommsLearning, FOA's Approved School In Zew Zealand.
Telecom Fiji engaged CommsLearning to train 55 technicians to CFOT standard and 6 Planners to CFOS-D standard. In addition, we were to teach 4 of their staff to become CFOS-I’s, FOA Certified Instructors so they could train others. To begin with, I taught the 6 planners on CFOS-D, whilst the trainee Instructors observed. The group of 6 all passed their exam. We then moved onto the Technicians, training them in 4 groups, I presented the first course, then the instructors took a couple of sections each, until the final (4th) course, where the Instructors ran the whole session under my watchful eye.
To enable the exam to be taken after just 3 days, the Instructors ran evening study groups in local language, often continuing until 9pm, which saw some very impressive results from the 4 CFOT groups who all took the exam online.
This was an intensive program of work, but was very enjoyable, and now Telecom Fiji Limited have 4 Instructors who are able to deliver the CFOT course internally to TFL technicians, with exams being taken online through CommsLearning.
We have now started discussions to allow the Instructors to deliver the CFOT training to Teleocm Fiji customers - that’ll bring benefits to all concerned.
And, of course, some photos of the classes:
Andy Edwards, CommsLearning, with one of his classes at Telecom Fiji
Sessions included classroom lessons and hands-on labs, like all FOA certification courses
But then, all work and no play makes things too dull!
Warriors For Wireless Training At Aiken Technical College
Aiken Technical College in Graniteville, SC hosted a fiber optic training class for Warriors4Wireless taught by Donna and Tom Collins, FOA Master Instructor. The Fiber Optic Association, along with Corning, NATE, T-Mobile, and others in the industry support W4W programs to train veterans for careers in wireless including fiber optics.
Tom Collins (in yellow shirt) uses innovative training methods like using mobile devices to interface to fiber optic instruments to enhance learning. When he teaches splicing fibers, he brings plenty of fiber to splice and then test with OTDRs. Corning Pioneer Gerry Harvey, a retired Corning OSP expert, and Steve Colby, from Corning stopped by the class to meet the students and provide career advice. Most students left the course with job offers already.
Welcome School #5 in Ohio
This month FOA welcomes Washington County Career Center as our 5th
school in Ohio. Last year, the Governor's office held a formal ceremony
to announce the opening of a FOA school at Tri-County Career Center (FOA Newsletter September 2021.)
Washington County Career Center is the latest addition to the network
and several more are coming shortly. Soon Ohio will catch up with Kentucky
with 9 KCTCS schools in the FOA network.
California Breaks Ground On $3B Middle Mile Project
Last month, California had the groundbreaking ceremony for its middle mile project, an enormous project as expected for such a large state with an economy that would, if it were a country itself, be the 5th largest economy in the world.
The project covers all the state, expanding fiber networks into under- and unserved areas as the state prepares for all the local broadband projects to be funded by federal programs.
Interesting technical detail:
The first cable in the middle mile project is being installed using blown cable. It seems US contractors are finally adopting this great technology widely used around the world.
Lexington, TN Electric Utility Gets Grant For FTTH Project
Lexington
Electrical Service, LES, has rececived a $27.49 million award will be
used to deliver fiber to the home to 22,000 residents across Henderson,
Decatur, Benton, Carroll and Hardin counties that already receive
electricity service from the utility. The build out is expected to take
about 5 years.Before applying for state grants, LES conducted a survey of broadband access in the counties they currently serve and found that most local private sector ISPs were incapable of offering broadband at speeds that even meet the FCC’s base definition of broadband, currently still stuck at a dated 25 Megabit per second (Mbps) downstream, 3 Mbps upstream.
More in Community Networks.
Support FOA school facility and students, victims of devastating floods in Eastern Kentucky
Photo from Kentucky Today
The FOA has a number of schools we work with in Kentucky and one is Hazard Community College. Between July 25th and July 30th, 2022, thunderstorms developed in Eastern Kentucky and brought heavy rain, deadly flash flooding, and devastating river flooding brought upwards of 14-16" of rain during this 5-day period.
Keila Miller, Dean of Community, Workforce and Economic Development reports that their college was mostly spared but many of their faculty and students have lost everything. She says: “The devastation is indescribable".
If anyone would like a donation, they can go to the following link:
https://hazard.kctcs.edu/alumni/alumni-tools/giving/index.aspx
Once in that link, they should select Hazard Community & Technical College, and then select “HCTC Flood Relief Fund”. All donations go directly to students and they apply for the relief dollars if they were effected by the flood damage.
Technical
Fiber optic technology, standards, equipment, installation, etc.
The FOA Update Page covers the new technology and applications we covered in this newsletter recently. Now you can review all that new tech at once.
Cross Reference To FOA Technical Reference Materials
The FOA has almost 1,000 pages of technical information on the FOA Guide,
100+ videos and two dozen online courses at Fiber U, all this can make
it difficult to find the right information.
Cross Reference To FOA Tech Materials
To help this, we have created a cross reference guide to the textbooks,
Online Guide and Fiber U courses, all the FOA technical information.
Besides the textbooks, online Guide and Fiber U, each section of the
Guide also includes links to the 100+ FOA videos available.
Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U
We have also rearranged the 100+ FOA videos in similar categories on the Contents Page of the Online Guide, making the videos, especially the lectures, much it much easier to find a video on a particular topic.
FOA Videos Guide.
|
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How Many Fibers Can You Get In One Connector? 144!
The Sumitomo SWK connector can terminate 48, 96 or 144 fibers. It uses 4 MPO ferrules in a circular connector body to handle all those fibers. The product line includes breakout modules for LCs or MPOs.
For more information, go to the Sumitomo SWK web page.
Protection For Buried Utilities Like Fiber Optics
Plate-Guard is a major innovation for the protection of all buried pipeline assets – for oil and gas lines, high-voltage electricity grids, telephone and fiber optic cables or water and sewage networks. Plate-Guard is the optimal solution for the safety and protection of these underground assets.
More than 50% of third party damage to a pipeline is done accidentally by the excavator bucket of a mechanical digger. Tests show that the polyethylene plate cover resists the impact of a mechanical digger and prevents damage to the pipeline.
Read more about Plate Guard
Managing Fiber Optic Projects - The Gantt Chart
(With An Excel File To Make Your Own)
The most common way to track projects is the Gantt Chart, a
chart of activities that tracks the progress of projects along a
timeline. each activity is represented by a bar and the position and
length of the bar represents the starting date and duration of the
activity. This allows you to see what activities are needed for the
project, when the activities start and end so it can be used to track
the progress of the project visually. Here is what a Gantt Chart for a
fiber project might look like:
You might remember an article in the FOA Newsletter in April 2022 or the FOA Guide page on Project Management about the timing of a fiber optic project where we showed the progression of steps in a project like this:
The Gantt Chart above is simply this list converted to a Gantt Chart using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. You can download a copy of the FOA Gantt Chart spreadsheet (xlsx file - 16kB) and use it to create your own Gantt Chart for any project. All you have to do is to input your own data and change the activity names as necessary. You can also follow the directions from Microsoft to create your own version.
Fiber Patch Panels - Routing Guidelines For Cables
The US National Electrical Code states “You must install equipment and cabling in a neat and workmanlike manner. " We've all seen patch panels that obviously violate that rule! Eric Pearson of Pearson Technologies, a frequent contributor to this Newsletter, shares with us some guidelines he has developed to ensure "a neat and workmanlike manner."
Read Eric Pearson's "Four Fiber Patch Panel Routing Guidelines" in the FOA Guide.
More Help On Color Codes (Now Copper Cabling And Fiber Optics)
The FOA has created a pocket guide to fiber
optic color codes that we are sending to new and renewed CFOTs. It has
color codes for fibers and buffer tubes, connectors and premises cables
inside and on the back, QR codes to take you directly to the FOA Guide
and Fiber U.
The FOA
Guide page on Fiber Optic Color Codes is one of the most read pages on the FOA
website and the Fiber Optic Color Codes minicourse on Fiber U very popular also.
Here's a do-it-yourself FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Color Codes card.
Just download the PDF file, print it on a color printer and fold it up
as shown. Then you have your own pocket guide to color codes. Make a
bunch for your co-workers too.
Then we realized that many of your also do structured cabling work, so it was a natural to add a Color Code Guide for UTP copper cabling in printable (below) and electronic (above) versions.
But we did not stop there. We know how many of you use your mobile devices on the job, so we created a version of the Color Code Guide you could download and use on your smartphone or tablet. It's a PDF file, so you just download it and save it on your device and it will be with you always.
Here are the links to download your own FOA Guides to Fiber Optic Color Codes
FOA Guide to Fiber Optic Color Codes (print your own version) PDF
FOA Guide to Fiber Optic Color Codes (electronic version for your smartphone, tablet or PC) PDF
And For UTP Cabling
FOA Guide to UTP Cabling Color Codes (print your own version) PDF
FOA Guide to UTP Copper Cabling Color Codes (electronic version) PDF
Warning For Techs Doing OSP Restoration
FOA received an inquiry about whether techs working on restoring OSP links should be concerned about eye safety if the link used fiber amplifiers. To answer this question, we had to do some research on fiber amplifiers. The short answer is YES, you should be concerned. The long answer is more technical and includes details that every OSP tech needs to know.
See "Fiber Amps And Restoration" in the FOA Newsletter Archives..
Try The FOA's Online Loss Budget Calculator
FOA has written many articles about loss budgets, something everyone involved in fiber optics needs to know and needs to know how to calculate. We've created a online Loss Budget Calculator that does the work for you. Just input your cable plant data and it calculates the loss budget. It works on any device, especially smartphones and tablets for field use and even allows printing the results.
Bookmark this page (especially on your smartphone): FOA Loss Budget Calculator Online
Worth Reading
Each month we read hundreds of newsletters and online articles. These are the ones we think you will find "worth reading."
FOA Timeline of Fiber Optic History and the new FOA video "The History Of Fiber Optics"
AT&T PR photo from the mid 1970sThe FOA's History
Worth Reading (And
Watching):
FOA has a web page with resources on fiber broadband networks and the IIJA/BEAD funding programs.
Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U
November 2022
Fiber Optic Conference For Latin America And South America - November 15-17 (Virtual)
Todo Fibra Optica, the new digital magazine in Spanish for fiber optics in Latin America and South America, is sponsoring #EXPOFIBRA, a virtual fiber optic conference in Spanish for the region. Under the motto “FIBER OPTICS: THE ELECTRICITY OF THE 21ST CENTURY”, # EXPOFIBRA will have the international participation of important industry leaders. In a very educational format, there will be demonstrations, workshops, talks, and round tables, and topics such as the importance of neutral networks, the advantages of underground networks, and regional and global development in telecommunications, among others, will be addressed.The Fiber Optic Association is a sponsor of #EXPOFIBRA and FOA Director Jerry Morla will be participating in sessions.
Conferencia de Fibra Óptica para América Latina y Sudamérica - 15-17 de noviembre (Virtual)
Todo Fibra Óptica, la nueva revista digital en español de fibra óptica en América Latina y Sudamérica, patrocina #EXPOFIBRA, una conferencia virtual de fibra óptica en español para la región. Bajo el lema de “FIBRA ÓPTICA: LA ELECTRICIDAD DEL SIGLO XXI”, #EXPOFIBRA contará con la participación internacional de importantes líderes de la industria. En un formato muy didáctico, habrán demostraciones, talleres, charlas y mesas redondas y se abordará temas como la importancia de las redes neutrales, las ventajas de redes subterráneas, el desarrollo regional y global en telecomunicaciones, entre otros.
The Fiber Optic Association es patrocinadora de #EXPOFIBRA y el Director de FOA, Jerry Morla, participará en las sesiones.
Shetland Cut Off From the World After Undersea Cable Breaks NYTimes
Wireless ISP Starry lays off half its workers in a bid to save cash - The Verge
An Enterprise Guide to Today’s Data Center Landscape - Graybar
Dollars to Megabits, You May Be Paying 400 Times As Much As Your Neighbor for Internet Service – The Markup
U.S. aid program to keep people online was riddled with deception, fraud Washington Post
New
Analysis Shows Offline Households Are Willing to Pay $10-a-Month on
Average for Home Internet Service, Though Three in Four Say Any Cost is
Too Much - National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Head of Google Fiber Says They're Ready To Start Building New Cities - Reuters
October 2022
NTT to build municipal private 5G wireless network for Las Vegas Fierce Wireless
California’s giant new batteries kept the lights on during the heat wave LA Times (what a fiber based smart grid can do)
There’s a plan for Google’s failed balloon-based internet, and it involves lasers The
Verge (Remember Googles "Loon" balloon Internet project? Well the idea
has been sold and updated with another loony idea, using lasers for
free-space optical transmission.)
ESRI has created an ebook on GIS location technology for telecom. Use the link to download the book.
September 2022
Google, Meta cables will be "game changers" for Africa - Lightreading.com
Fiber optic technology powers the internet, and it's a big business MSN
Fast Fiber Networks Have Quietly Won the Broadband War - CNET
Fiber – Integral Enabler of Smart Water Infrastructure - Graybar Webinar on demand by Corning
Telegeography webinars on transatlantic and transpacific submaring cables. Best practices and market insights.
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance Announces Two Initiatives to Foster Local Broadband Solutions
Electrical Contractor Magazine Profile of the Electrical Contractor - many, if not most, do fiber and other low voltage work.
August 2022
The First Transcontinental Telephone Line began operation on July 29th in 1915 - 3400 miles between New York and San Francisco - required over 100,000 telephone poles! Wonders of World Engineering
Google Fiber still adding cities - Mesa, Arizona next stop. Lightwave. Mesa will become the 14th Google Fiber FTTH city.
Using existing coax cable In MDUs for Internet with MOCA. Ignore the title of this article - that's what it's about. Broadband Communities
FBA Broadband Infrastructure Playbook The Fiber Broadband Association, the trade association of fiber optic equipment suppliers and no relation to the FOA, has created a comprehensive guide for organizations wanting to apply for US IIJA/BEAD funding.
July 2022
Vermont not waiting for federal BEAD grants, funding broadband development now. ILSR.
Four Wind Farms Constructed at once. T&D World. Wind power needs lots of fiber optics - OPGW.
Lightwave's Summer Issue focuses on fiber in the CATV industry and more.
Worth Watching: Conocimiento Esencial: ¿Por qué la fibra óptica? creado por FiberWizards
From Earlier Issues
Recruiting And Training Today's Fiber Optic Workforce - Learn the fundamentals to recruit and train new fiber optics - by FOA's Jim Hayes in ISE Magazine.
Explosive Fiber Broadband Expansion Drives Need for Fiber Technician Training Programs - Telecompetitor - As fiber sees record-setting deployment levels, the demand for fiber optic technicians is stronger than ever.
NTIA Notice of Funding Opportunity Information from the funding source on applying for US broadband funding
Google Video On Their Undersea Cables YouTube Slick but interesting video on how undersea cables are designed, built and used.
2022 Submarine Cable Map depicts 486 cable systems and 1,306 landings that are currently active or under construction. Telegeography.
Construction Without Disruption - FOA President Jim Hayes' column in ISE Magazine
Fiber Optics Installed By The Lowest Bidder - ISE Magazine - by Jim Hayes, FOA President.
Building Broadband During Component and Worker Shortages
- Broadband Communities - Completing broadband builds requires
competent fiber optic techs, but training them requires understanding
how they learn - by Jim Hayes, FOA President.
Worth Reading - Magazines, Websites and Newsletters
The latest Issue of dP-PRO, the "call before you dig" magazine, is online.
dpPro sponsors the annual digging safety conference each year - next year in Tampa.
New Fiber Optic Magazine In Spanish
Todo Fibra Optica is a new digital magazine in Spanish for fiber optics in Latin America and South America. Jose Enriquez, editor of Todo Fibra Optic magazine has many years experience in the fiber optic industry so he knows the industry well. FOA will be working with him to share our extensive technical materials in Spanish.Read their newsletter here. It is now available online in English and Spanish.
All issues and subscriptions.
Contact:
José Manuel Enriquez Mora, Editor
Todo Fibra Optica LLC
https://todofibraoptica.com/revista-ediciones/
+52 222 302 8224
jose.enriquez@todofibraoptica.com
RTI Telecom Magazine from Brazil, in Portuguese. A revista RTI do mês de abril já está disponível online e recomendo a leitura de alguns artigos:
1995-2020 - FOA's 25th Anniversary!
As part of celebrating 25 years of serving the fiber optic industry as its primary source of technical information and independent certifying body, FOA thought it appropriate to create a short history of the organization and how it has developed to help the fiber optic industry. We also wanted to recognize the contributions many people have made to the organization over the years that made FOA what it is today.The FOA history is now archived on the FOA website where you can read it anytime or link to it. Updated info - dB, total internal reflection and science projects,
Worth Reading - News Summary - Past Links Worth Repeating
1983 Video of AT&T's First Test Of A Submarine Cable System From the AT&T Tech Channel archives (worth exploring!)
Richard Epworth's Optical Fiber History from his work at STL from 1966 with Charles Kao.
Communications Systems Grounding Rules: Article 800 provides specific requirements by Michael Johnston, NECA Executive Director of Standards and Safety in EC Magazine
US Broadband Coverage By Service Provider from the FCC
How To Build Rural Broadband, Learning From History
In the August 2021 FOA Newsletter, we published a lengthy article on rural broadband and compared it to rural electrification in America in the last century. Much of the comparison was based on an article written in 1940 by a USDA economist, Robert Beall, called "Rural Electrification."
If you are interested in or involved in rural broadband, we recommend you read the article "How To Build Rural Broadband, Learning From History" in the August 2021 FOA Newsletter and read the Beall article also.
Recycling Fiber Optic Cable - Contact:
Steve Maginnis
LD4Recycle/ CommuniCom Recycling
(Visit website)
sm@LD4Recycle.com
803.371.5436
Sumitomo's Ribbon Splicing Guide - download from one of the leaders in splicing.
"Who Lost Lucent?: The Decline of America's Telecom Equipment Industry"
This is a MUST READ for managers in telecom or any industry!
This long and well-researched and annotated article in American Affairs Journal should be mandatory reading for every high level manager in a telecom company - or any other company for that matter. To summarize the article, today, America has no major telecom equipment company and fears the major suppliers of equipment who are all foreign, especially the Huawei from China. This article explains how America got into this deplorable state.
OFS also has an excellent website and blog of tech articles worth browsing.
IEC 60050 - International Electrotechnical Vocabulary - An extensive dictionary for fiber optics in English and French. Highly technical - this is one definition: "mode - one solution of Maxwell's equations, representing an electromagnetic field in a certain space domain and belonging to a family of independent solutions defined by specified boundary conditions"
If you are interested in restoration - aren't we all? - you should also read this article in dpPro magazine by FOA President Jim Hayes: Damage Protection Requies Looking Overheas As Well As Underground - dpPRO Magazine - about the problems with aerial cables. His previous article for the magazine was New Techniques for Fiber Optic Installation.
How much fiber optic cable is
manufactured each year? CRU Reports -
unsurprisingly China is by far the largest market
today
The Institute for Local
Self-Reliance weekly newsletter has
lots of interesting articles and links.
The Open Technology Institute at New America just
published “The Cost of Connectivity 2020,”
US Ignite and Altman
Solon issued “Broadband Models for Unserved
and Underserved Communities”
Universal access to broadband
is a cornerstone to a strong economy,
Achieving universal access will require
community partnerships. by Alfreda
B. Norman, Sr. VP, Federal Reserve Bank of
Dallas
FIBER TO THE FARM: The
co-ops that electrified Depression-era farms are
now building rural internet. Be sure to check out
the high-tech equine installation equipment.
Next Century Cities Newsletter
- News from cities around the US
including Detroit and New York plus small
Infrastructure Get Some Respect, NY TImes "On Tech" "The magic of the internet requires a lot of very boring stuff behind the scenes. "
DIRT Report On Damage To Utilities Common Ground Alliance (CGA) annual DIRT report provides a summary and analysis of the events submitted into CGA’s Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) for the year 2018. The complete report is available for download here. In addition, there is an interactive dashboard that allows users to filter the data more by factors contributing to damages.Structured Cabling News - a website and weekly newsletter about cabling.
The Internet Master Plan for New York City. The New York City Internet Master Plan is a comprehensive framework for the infrastructure and services that provide connectivity to New York City residents and businesses. This Master Plan will guide City actions and public-private partnerships to transform New Yorkers’ access to this essential infrastructure for generations to come.
Fiber Trivia From Corning.
The Future Of Work Is Skills - So Stop Worrying About Degrees - The reality is the future of work is about skills, not just degrees. (FOA Newsletter Feb 2020)
The job market is hot. So why
are half of U.S. grads missing out?
VIAVI Books On Fiber Optic Testing (2 volumes) - They're back!
Besides the FOA reference materials, two JDSU/VIAVI textbooks, Reference Guide to Fiber Optic Testing, Volumes 1 and 2, were used as references for some of the FOA courses and are recommended for instructors and students. The books are available from VIAVI as eBooks and the everyone should download them and recommend them to others.Download yours now. Volume 1. Volume 2. Viavi Books
Ciena's Submarine Cable Handbooks (4 to download)
Guidebook To MPO Testing OptoTest offers this complete guide to MTP®/MPO testing. In this guide, you will learn all there is to know about the different test methods, equipment options, troubleshooting, and best maintenance practices to ensure that you have the best testing experience. Go here to download the book.
50th Anniversary of The Development of Low Loss Fibers A history of the development of low loss fiber, a fascinating story by Jeff Hecht on the OSA (Optical Society of America) website.
How OFS Makes Fiber
Interesting YouTube video on how fiber is made. Perhaps a little too much "show biz" but fascinating. If you have ever seen fiber manufacture, look at this video. You will be amazed at how big preforms have become!
How Nexans Makes Copper Cables - compare the process to fiber - don't most of the machines look similar?
The True Cost of Telco Damages (what backhoe fade or target practice can cost)
Rural Electric Cooperatives: Pole Attachment Policies and Issues, June 2019.
Clearfield-FOA Certification Training Clearfield is now offering their customers an FOA CERTIFICATION course. This course provides a basic understanding of fiber optic technology, as well as Clearfield product knowledge and how Clearfield’s integrated product systems work together in a fiber network.
Substandard Contractors - Fiber Optic Knowledge Doesn't Always Trickle Down (EC Mag)
Another Source Of Articles On Fiber
FOA President and editor of this newsletter Jim Hayes has also been writing a column in Electrical Contractor Magazine for almost 20 years now. Electrical contractors do lots of fiber work and this column has covered some topics they are interested in including installation processes, network design, fiber applications and a lengthy series on dark fiber - what it is, how's its used and how it benefits the growth of communication. A recent web site redesign makes it easier to browse all these articles - just go to http://www.ecmag.com/contributing-authors/jim-hayes and you can see all of them.
Q&A
When readers ask us questions, we genrally refer them to FOA
resources where they can find the answer to their question and many
more. We first send them to the FOA Guide
which is the table of contents for the FOA technical resources. There
they can find pages indexed by topic and a search engine for the FOA
website. It also links them to FOA videos and courses on our free online learning site Fiber U.
The FOA Fiber FAQs Page (FAQs = frequently asked questions) gathers up questions readers have asked us (which first ran in this newsletter) and adds tech topics of general interest.
Good Question!
Tech
Questions/Comments From FOA Newsletter Readers
More Q&A in the FOA FAQs Page
Also see the two important questions above in the Technical section.November 2022
Fiber Characterization
Q: After installing a long haul backbone fibre, what tests are required on the fibre plant to ensure optimum performance of DWDM. (I understand the need for having OTDR traces.) Are there any FOA Guides that explore such tests?
A: FOA has a page in the FOA Guide covering this kind of testing - it’s called “fiber characterization.” The page is Fiber Characterization and Testing long haul networks (CD, PMD, Spectral Attenuation)
Mating Cycles
Q: I’m a NASA contractor and recently we came across a interesting and yet perplexing question. Does a connector lose a mate cycle every time we put it under the scope for a cleanliness inspection? We want to catalogue each time we lose a mating cycle and wondered if that counted as well.
A: No you would not lose a mating cycle. The connector is well separated from the lens of the microscope. If they touched, it would disturb any dirt on the end of the connector you were trying to inspect and get the microscope lens dirty. A mating cycle is only when mated to another connector - PC and APC connectors have contact between the polished fiber ends and that is what causes wear. Microscopes should not cause mating, not should most power meters for testing, but test sources and meters with fiber pigtails for connections would count as a mating cycle.
Removing Data Center Cables
Q: I’m wrecking out fiber optic cables at the data center. They get very tangled if the connectors are intact. Co-workers are cutting the connectors off to make pulling the fiber optic cables through the fiber troughs easier. I was concerned about fiber shards when connectors are cut off.
A: Cutting off connectors should not produce fiber shards. The plastic coatings on the fiber should keep that from happening. It is OK to cut off connectors or cut the cables into shorter lengths to ease the removal of tangled cables.
Connecting OS1/OS2 SM Fiber
Q: Can OS1 and OS2 fibers be cross-connected? Application is for low bandwidth devices with a maximum of 1GB Ethernet connections.
A: OS1 and. OS2 (G.652) fibers are essentially the same geometrically; the only difference is the manufacturing of OS2 removes the water molecules that cause the water peak at 1244 and 1383 nm.
FTTH Software
Q: Do you have any recommendations on FTTH software? A search shows a dozen or more offerings but I don’t know anyone using them. Are you familiar with any?
A: We asked several people who are knowledgeable on software and here is what they said:
It would depend on the application or what you need the software for…
- For GIS based mapping: Esri
- For fiber network management systems (FNMS [design/planning and operations]): OSPinsight or Vetro
- For automated HL design: OSPInsight as well as Biarri
- For Tier 1 type telecom operator FNMS with BSS/OSS integration: Ericsson NE (Networks) which was based on old Tirks. Another is NetCracker.
- For GIS enabled construction / project Management: Vitruvi
October 2022
How Light travels In An Optical Fiber
Q: Is there a generalised ratio between the length of an optic fibre and the length of the path actually taken by a light pulse inside that fibre? If yes, do OTDRs factor in such differences in any way? or they such sown the length of the actual path of the light pulses?
A: Each optical fiber has an effective independent of refraction. The index of refraction is the ratio of the speed of light to the speed of light in the material: n=c/v where n=index of refraction, c=speed of light in a vacuum and v=speed of light in the fiber.
For an optical fiber, the manufacturer measures the index of refraction which is usually in the range of 1.47. Corning SMF-28 singlemdoe fiber for example is specified at 1.4670 @ 1310 nm and 1.4677 @ 1550 nm.
So if you use the equation above, the speed of light in SMF-28 fiber for a 1310nm pulse is c/n or 300,000 km/s divided by 1.4670 = 204,500 km/s.
When an OTDR measures length, it actually measures the time its test pulse takes to go to the end of the fiber and return, so the distance is 2X the actual fiber length. The distance is speed x time.
If a fiber is 1 km long and the speed is 204,500 km/s, the time forlight to travel the 1km is 1/204500 = 0.00000489 seconds or about 5 milliseconds.
OTDR will measure that fiber as 10 ms becasue its pulse has to go both ways, and it would calculate the length as i km, using that effective index of refraction of 1.4670.
Back to your original question, the index of refraction is the generalized number based on how light travels in the fiber.
Excess Cable In Ducts
Q: Do you have any established characterization on the ratio of the length of optic fibre to the length of its duct (to account for twisting of the fibre inside the duct).
A: The cable after pulling into the duct and no longer under tension will be about 1-2% longer. And remember the fiber is about 1% longer than the cable.
Slack/Service Loops In Manholes
Q: What is the recommended percentage of slack left in manholes for longhaul transmission links?
A: Not so much a percentage as actual length. If it includes a splice, the fiber which will be stored in service loops need to be long enough to conveniently do the splicing outside the manhole - typically 10-15m for each cable. If there is no splice but just provision to pull the cable back down conduit to repair a dig-up during restoration, the distances should be about the same or maybe a bit longer - say 20m of cable..
Do APC Connectors Show Reflectance On An OTDR Trace?
Q: I was testing a 500meter cable with 1000m launch. In the first event the otdr sensed a splice loss instead of a connector and reflectance. The connector is APC . Is it possible to have no reflectance at all. Pulse at 10ns and duration of 15secs.
A: A good APC connector can show no reflectance. One of our instructors who wrote the OTDR training course when he was at AT&T did some tests for FOA a few years ago. Here are two traces that show the reflectance is so low it is in the noise of the trace.
September 2022
Splicing Pigtails On A Cable
Q: I seem to be having an issue finding fiber protection sleeves
that can slide over the 3mm patch cable. I bought a sleeve that said it
with made for “single fiber fusion” but the thru hole which I would
side the cable thru prior to fusion is too small for the patch cable.
When I try and look on-line for specifications for the thru-hole size,
prior to fusion final melting of the glue in the sleeve, all I find are
post-melting diameters, none which are even close to being able to
handle the 3mm patch cable.
A: Splicing pigtails involves splicing the fibers only and the
cables are secured separately. The usual method of splicing on pigtails
is to splice the fibers and use the heat shrink tube to seal the splice
and the fibers from the outside air and protect it from stress. The
splice is placed in a splice tray. On either side, there is 2-3 feet of
fiber exposed from the cables being spliced. The splice tray has clamps
for all of the cables being spliced on the edges of the tray and the
fiber to the splice is coiled neatly on the splice tray. The jacket of
the pigtail is clamped at the edge of the splice tray but ends there,
so only fiber is coiled in the tray. If you try to coil fiber, the bulk
of the cable can get to be a problem where it’s coiled with the bare
fiber. You can get heat shrink protectors for fibers of 250 to 900 micron diameter buffers, but not for jacketed cables.
Important Questions From The Past
Managing And Maintaining a Fiber Optic Cable Plant During Its Lifetime.
Q: Are there guides / recommendations for optic fibre cable life cycle management? (outside plant) including rehabilitation / replacement timelines together with factors that may alter those timelines ( such as seismic activity, extreme weather, human activity-induced fibre cuts etc) also including typical performance deterioration over the life cycle, and the performance levels at which replacement / rehabilitation happens. Or does it happen (and is it normally expected) that operators replace entire sections of fibre (say 400 km) as part of routine maintenance?
A: There is a saying here in the US that in fiber optics “the most common cause of failure is “backhoe fade” in underground cables and “target practice” for aerial cables.” In other words, damage caused by humans. We know of many fiber optic cable plants that have survived natural disasters like earthquakes - in fact there is a lot of work today using regular cables used in communications to monitor for seismic activity. Fire can be a problem in remote areas, but often it’s because the poles are burned causing the cables to fall.
Over the years we have questioned cable manufacturers about the lifetime of fiber optic cable. They don’t like to make definitive statements but we have been told that based on the cables installed in the past that 40 years is a probable lifetime for most cables. There are certainly cables in use today that are over 30 years old already. The glass fiber is not a problem, it’s the protection from the cables that will eventually fail. Installation techniques can have an effect on the longevity. For example splice closures should be sealed properly to prevent ingress of moisture or dirt. Cables should not be installed with bends below the rated bend radius or with excess tension.
FOA has always told users that fiber optic cables do not need maintenance (https://foa.org/tech/ref/user/maintain.html), a response to some people advocating periodic inspection and cleaning of connections, for example. That’s just more likely to cause damage.
When an accidental break in a cable occurs, we have guidelines for restoration (https://foa.org/tech/ref/restoration/rest.html), and planning for restoration when building the cable plant is very important.
Someday you will certainly want to replace cables, often well before the lifetime of the cable, but generally because you need more fiber or the older fiber will not support the network speeds you want for upgrades. Planning for more fiber by installing more cables can be eased by installing spare underground ducts when first installing cables - here in the US, we call this “Dig Once” (https://foa.org/tech/ref/OSP_Construction/Underground_Construction.html). Testing fibers for higher speeds is called "fiber Characterization” (https://foa.org/tech/ref/testing/test/CD_PMD.html) and is routinely done when speeds above 10G or certainly 100G are considered for older fibers.
Knowing that the lifetime of fiber optic cable plants are ~40 years, it makes sense to plan ahead for future applications, installing lots of fibers, leaving lots of open duct space and choosing network architectures that will not obstruct upgrades. See the article on Netly's network above.
Fiber Optic Color Codes Reference Chart
Q: Has anyone made a fiber optic pocket reference chart that has cable color orders, frequencies, or other commonly used info on it?
A: The FOA has a page on its Online Guide that covers color codes (https://foa.org/tech/ColCodes.htm). It is the most popular page in the FOA Guide! It works great with a smartphone.
More Q&A in the FOA FAQs Page
The word on the "Dig Once" program is getting out - FOA is getting calls from cities asking us for information and advice. Here are some links:
The DoT page on the administration’s Executive Order: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/otps/exeorder.cfm
From the Council of State governments: http://www.csg.org/pubs/capitolideas/enews/cs41_1.aspx
From the city of San Francisco: http://sfgov.org/dt/dig-once
An article about Dakota County, MN: https://muninetworks.org/tags/tags/dig-once
And the one to download and hand out:
A “How To” Guide from The Global Connect Initiative: https://share.america.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/6.-GCI-Dig-Once.pdf
Is There A Standard For Fiber Optic Installation?
Another question we get often is "Is there a standard for fiber optic installation." The answer is yes, but not from the usual standards groups you might expect. Over 20 years ago, the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) asked FOA to help create a standard for installation. That standard, ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 has been updated three times already and is about ready for another update.
Unlike most of those groups who charge you a fortune for standards, FOA covers the cost so ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 is available free from FOA.
Download your free copy of ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 here (PDF)
Older questions are now available here.
Training / FiberU
News and resources to help you learn more and stay updated.
Find a listing of all the FOA-Approved schools here.
Free online self-study programs on many fiber optics and cabling topics are available at Fiber U, FOA's online web-based training website.
Free online training at Fiber U
The FOA has >100 videos on
FOA School News
FOA's roster of approved schools is growing as more organizations
recognize our expertise in workforce development and our comprehensive
support for getting new schools started. FOA has over 25 years
experience and nearly 90,000 certified fiber techs (with ~120,000
certifications). As a non-profit organization founded by the industry
specifically to develop a competent workforce, FOA provides the
consultation, curriculum and contacts to get schools started as a free
service to new schools.
Welcome #5 in Ohio
This month FOA welcomes Washington County Career Center as our 5th
school in Ohio. Last year, the Governor's office held a formal ceremony
to announce the opening of a FOA school at Tri-County Career Center (FOA Newsletter September 2021.)
Washington County Career Center is the latest addition to the network
and two more are coming shortly. Soon Ohio will catch up with Kentucky
with 9 KCTCS schools in the FOA network.
Telecom Fiji
Andy Edwards of CommsLearning Limited emailed us as he was preparing to
head home to New Zealand that he had just spent time training personnel
at Telecom Fiji - 55 CFOT’s trained, 6 Designers and 4 instructors who
can deliver CFOT
internally with certifications going via
CommsLearning. Details above.
FOA Network Of Approved Schools Continues To Grow
The need for more fiber optic networks to support fiber broadband and wireless/5G networks has led to a strong demand for more trained and FOA-certified techs, and that has led to a demand for more training organizations. FOA has been adding new schools and certifying new instructors to meet the demand.Schools added recently:
School 403: Washington County Career Center
School 774: Arrow For Engineering, Amman, Jordan
School #401: Western Wyoming Community CollegeSchool 399: Team Fishel, Virginia
School 398, Telecom Tech, Colorado
School 396 Optconn, Boston, MA
School 395 Fiber Wizards (Knowledge on Demand LLC)
School 393, Carolina's Solution Group
School 394, Tri-County Career Center, Nelsonville, Ohio
School 388: Global Com of Sterling, Virginia, USA
School 389. CWA-JATC Telecom Training Center, San Jose, CA
School 390 Northern Allied Communications, Nespelem, WA
School 391 Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, ID
School 392 Wallace Community College, Dothan, AL
Complete listing of FOA Approved Training Organizations
Need A Fiber Optic Course Onsite? Invite an FOA School To Come To You
FOA often gets inquiries from an organization that
has personnel that needs training in fiber optics. Recent inquiries have
included contractors, a manufacturer of high-reliability products using
fiber optics and a cable manufacturer. In many cases, where there are
several people needing training, FOA can recommend a FOA Approved School
and Certified Instructor who will come to their location to teach a
class. The advantage is of course the savings in travel costs if
the class comes to you, but it also offers the opportunity to customize
the course to fit your needs, even use your equipment or work on your
components, so the training is more relevant to those taking the class.Contact FOA to discuss the idea of a custom, on-site class to see if it will better meet your needs.
FOA/Fiber U On-The-Job Training (OJT) Program
The FOA Fiber U OJT program for novices combines online study at Fiber U with OJT with mentoring by experienced co-workers and their supervisor to help new employees develop into FOA-certified technicians in only one year.
The FOA Fiber U “OJT-To-Cert” program includes both fiber optics and premises cabling (copper, fiber & wireless), so it covers techs working in both outside plant and premises jobs.
Like other FOA programs, the OJT-To-Cert program is free. If you and/or your company is interested in the FOA OJT-To-Cert program, contact FOA.
To explain how OJT
works and FOA's OJT-To-Cert program, FOA created a
short video: Lecture 62: On
The Job Training For Fiber Optics Using Fiber
U
FOA
"Work-To-Cert" Program
Experience Plus Online Study At Fiber U = FOA Certification
Experienced fiber optic technicians can become FOA Certified using their experience in fiber optics and study for the FOA certification exams online at Fiber U. Thousands of industry professionals have applied to the FOA directly for certification without the need for classroom training, based on their knowledge and skills developed working the field. Since FOA certifications are based on KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities), current techs can show the skills and abilities required through their field experience. FOA provides free online self-study courses at Fiber U for the knowledge part to prepare you for FOA certification exams which you can also take online.
If you are an experienced field tech interested in certification, and FOA is the internationally recognized certifying body for fiber optics, you can find out more about the FOA "Work to Cert" program here.
If you are already a CFOT, FOA also offers many specialist certifications you can obtain based on your experience as a field tech. See what's available at Fiber U.
Fiber U "Basic Fiber Optics" Online Self-Study Course Now In Spanish
El curso de autoaprendizaje en línea "Fibra óptica básica" de Fiber U ahora en español
El sitio de aprendizaje en línea de FOA, Fiber U, tiene más de dos docenas de cursos de autoaprendizaje gratuitos sobre fibra óptica y cableado de instalaciones. Como era de esperar, el tema más popular es el curso "Fibra óptica básica", que se utiliza para iniciarse en la fibra óptica y como curso de preparación para realizar el examen de certificación FOA CFOT.
Ahora el curso básico de fibra óptica está disponible en español, utilizando el libro de texto FOA en español, la sección de la Guía en línea en español y la capacidad de YouTube para traducir subtítulos de video al español. El curso funciona exactamente como la versión en inglés con 10 lecciones, cada una con cuestionarios y una opción para tomar un examen de Certificado de finalización.
Para presentar el nuevo curso de
español Fiber U, el examen Certificate of
Completion es gratuito, así que dígaselo a sus
contactos.
Curso Básico de Fibra Óptica
de Fibra U en español.
New Fiber U Course: Fiber Characterization
FOA has added a new course at Fiber U on Fiber Characterization. Fiber
characterization is the process for testing long fiber cable plants for
its ability for carrying high speed communications. With so many
networks now operating at 100, 200, 400 or even 800 Gb/s, fiber
characterization is important, especially on older fiber optic cable
plants.The free Fiber U Fiber Characterization course is available in two forms, as a standalone Fiber U fiber Characterization Course with its own Fiber U Certificate of Completion and as a separate Lesson in the Fiber U Fiber Optic Testing course. This course is recommended for those studying for the FOA CFOS/FC Fiber Characterization certification.
Fiber U MiniCourses: Got An Hour Or Less? Learn Something New About Fiber Optics.
FOA has introduced a new type of Fiber U course, the MiniCourse, a free online course you could take in a short time, perhaps as you ate lunch at your desk or took a coffee break. The topics of these courses should explain what they are about, and these are all very important topics to fiber optic techs.
Fiber Optics In Communications
How Optical Fiber Works
Fiber Optic Network Restoration
Fiber Optic Connector Identification
Fiber U Color Codes
The Mysterious dB of Fiber Optics
Fiber Optic Cable Bend Radius
Fiber Optic Link Loss And Power Budgets
Fiber Optic Connector Inspection And Cleaning
Fiber Optic Media Conversion
Fiber Optic Cable Midspan Access
Reading An OTDR Trace
Reference Cables For Testing
Fiber Optic Attenuators
The courses have two components, video lectures and readings, that are complementary. As usual there is a self-test to allow you to check your comprehension. As with other Fiber U courses if you desire, you can take a short test for a Fiber U Certificate of Completion that costs only $10.
All these free courses and many more are available at Fiber U.
What Fiber Techs
Don't Know -
What We Learn From FOA Certification Tests
As FOA moves more testing over to our digital online testing system at ClassMarker, we have access to more data about our testing, including what questions and topics on the tests are answered incorrectly most often. Having this data gives us an opportunity to evaluate the questions and how they are stated, but more importantly it allow us to help our instructors teach the subjects and us to change our curriculum and online courses to emphasize these particular topics. These are some of the topics that we have noticed are answered incorrectly more often in FOA and Fiber U tests.
Most of the questions missed are on testing.
1. OTDRs - particularly what information is in the OTDR trace.
2. The difference between dB and dBm
3. Loss budgets - both the concepts and doing the math
4. Insertion loss testing - single-ended or double ended for testing patchcords or cable plants, how to set 0dB references
5. Units of measure - fiber is measured in microns, wavelengths in nanometers, etc.
At FOA, we're working to add Fiber U MiniCourses on these topics and working with our schools to emphasize these topics in their classes.
If you are going to be taking a FOA certification course or test in the near future, these topics should be on your final exam study list.
What We Learn From Hands On Labs
We learn about students performance in hands-on labs from the feedback of our instructors and our own experiences too. One big problem is the use of hand tools. Growing up today, you learn how to use keyboards, mouses and touch screens, but decades ago, you also learned how to use basic hand tools. This is big enough of a problem that we're considering adding some video lessons on basic hand tools to prepare students for cable prep, termination and splicing that require the use of hand tools.
FOA Guide "Basics Of
Fiber Optics" Now Available Online in Portuguese
(6/2020)
Here is the FOA Guide in Portuguese, Spanish and French translations.
Time
To Learn - Online
Some
schools have been closed during the pandemic, so FOA
has been working with them to create new online
learning experiences that can in some cases lead to
certification online. FOA certifications are still
based on the KSAs - knowledge from the classroom,
skills from the labs and abilities judged by
instructors or proven by actual experience. ZOOMing
Much of what we're doing benefits from the capabilities of "Zoom." Others have created videoconferencing apps, but none work so well, especially with limited bandwidth. We've seen remote labs that have an instructor showing students how to use the tools they were sent then watching them duplicate their actions. We have worked out methods to use Zoom to proctor FOA's online certification exams.
Blended Learning
While most FOA schools have suspended in-person training during this period, some are offering a "blended learning" option. That means that students sign up for a FOA certification course, take the classroom sessions on Fiber U with the assistance of a FOA certified instructor. Now online instruction can include reviewing the labs using the Fiber U Basic Skills Labs, then when it's possible to attend classes at the school, complete the hands-on labs and take the FOA certification exam.
Online Remote Labs
Alternatively, some schools are experimenting with "remote labs," where the students get sent tool kits and components and labs are conducted by videoconferencing. Before the labs, the students may watch demos by their instructor on videoconferencing and/or review the relevant "virtual hands-on" lessons in the Fiber U Fiber Optics Basic Skills Labs so they will already know the steps in the exercises. And Fiber U has the new Fiber U DIY Basic Skills Lab lesson with directions on how to purchase inexpensive tools online and use them to learn basic fiber optic skills. Videoconferencing allows the instructor to remotely monitor their work and provide help as needed. Contact the FOA for more information.
FOA Zoom Exam Proctoring
Online Certification Testing
FOA has all its certification tests available online, both for use by our schools and by our direct "Work to Cert" applicants. All FOA certification tests require a proctor to oversee the applicant taking the exam. In this time of social distancing, getting a proctor can be difficult, so FOA now has procedures for online proctors administering the exam. Contact the FOA for more information.
OJT - On-The-Job-Training
Many novices get a job and learn on the job. They usually have an experienced tech who helps them gain the knowledge and learn the skills they need to perform their job. Thinking about this in relation to the FOA KSAs, the knowledge, skills and abilities needed by a fiber optic tech, the tech will learn skills but not the basic knowledge that helps them understand the processes involved. FOA can offer help here with our FOA's OJT-to-Cert Program, using our Fiber U online self-study programs. While the tech learns on the job, they become a Fiber U trainee, getting the knowledge they need, while working under their "mentor" at work. This is particularly good for contracting companies who need techs but do not have the usual training courses available. Interested in OJT programs? Click on the link below or contact FOA for more information.
FOA's OJT-to-Cert Program
FOA offers free online self-study programs at Fiber U. Many users are preparing for FOA certification programs - taking courses at our schools or using the "Work-to-Cert" program. Some of our schools are requiring Fiber U programs as prerequisites for their classroom courses so they can spend more time on hands-on activities.
FOA School Offers Toolkit With Online Training
Slayton Solutions (FOA Approved School #156) is offering a simple fiber optic tool kit that includes a 29-piece set of fiber optic tools and a power meter along with training videos and online instruction for only $499. 29 Piece Kit includes all tools and devices a technician needs to install fiber optic connectors and test optical power. Information on the kit is available on YouTube. You can contact them for more information at slaytonsolutions@sbcglobal.net or https://www.fiberopticsinstitute.com
Publications / Resources
Cross Reference To FOA Tech Materials
FOA has so much technical reference material, we created a cross reference guide to the textbooks,
Online Guide and Fiber U courses, all the FOA technical information.
Besides the textbooks, online Guide and Fiber U, each section of the
Guide also includes links to the 100+ FOA videos available.
Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U
FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Workforce Development
To help those new to fiber optic workforce development, FOA has created a web page we call "Fiber Optic Workforce Development."
In this page, we share what we have learned about the fiber optic
workforce, who they are and how they learn their trade. We discuss what
defines a fiber optic tech and how they should be certified.
Read the FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Workforce Development online.
Latest FOA Book: Fiber Broadband (Paperback and Kindle)
In less than half a century,
fiber optics has revolutionized communications and to a large extent,
society in general. Broadband, what many today call high speed Internet
access, has become a necessity for everyone, not a luxury. The
technology that makes broadband possible is fiber optics, connecting the
continents, cities, and just about everybody. Even fiber to the home
(FTTH) brings broadband to hundreds of millions worldwide. How did we get from an era when communications was making a telephone call or sending a telegram to today’s world where every piece of information – and misinformation – is available at the click of a mouse or touch on a screen? How did we get from a time when a phone was connected on copper wires to being able to connect practically anywhere on a handheld device with more computing power than was available to scientists and engineers only decades ago?
How does broadband work? Without fiber optics it would not work.
This book is not the typical FOA technical textbook - it is written for anyone who wants to understand fiber broadband or fiber optics or the Internet. It's also aimed at STEM teachers who want to include communications technology in their classes. This book will try to explain not only how fiber broadband works, but how it was developed. It is intended to be an introduction to communications technology appropriate for a communications course at almost any level (junior high, high school or college,) for managers involved with broadband projects, or for anyone who just wonders how all this stuff works.
The Fiber Optic Association Guide To Fiber Broadband
Paperback ($12.95) and Kindle ($9.95) versions available from Amazon or most booksellers. Kindle version is in color!
More Translations of FOA Textbooks
FOA is a very international organization and it works hard to
accommodate the language needs of everyone. We have been translating our
books and website into the languages most requested, and this month, we
add two more textbook translations. We also want to thank Jerry Morla,
FOA CFOS/I instructor and Director who has been doing the recent
translations into Spanish, his native language.
Here is a listing of all the FOA textbook Translations
Spanish Editions:
Guía de Referencia de la Asociación de Fibra Óptica (FOA) Sobre Fibra Óptica: Guía de estudio para la certificación de la FOA Amazon
La Referencia de Cableado para Predios de la FOA: Guía para Certificación de la FOA Amazon
La Asociación de Fibra Óptica Manual de Fibra Hasta el Hogar : Para Planificadores, Gestores, Diseñadores, Instaladores y Operadores De FTTH Amazon
Guía de Referencia de la FOA sobre Diseño de la red de fibra óptica: Guía de Estudio para la Certificación de la FOA Amazon
And the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics:
French Edition: Le Guide de référence de la FOA pour la fibre optique et et guide d'étude pour la certification FOA: Guide d'étude pour la certification FOA Amazon
Portuguese Edition: Guia de Referência sobre Fibra Óptica da FOA : Guia de Estudo para a Certificação da FOA Amazon
The subject matter of these books is also translated in the FOA Guide online.
Planning A Fiber Optic Project?
The FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Projects includes this timeline and comments on project planning and implementation.More New FOA Video
Lectures On YouTube
Did you know YouTube
will close caption videos in many languages?
Here are directions.
FOA YouTube Video Describes On-The-Job Training (OJT)
FOA Lecture 67 Fiber Optics At Electrical Utilities
Like all our YouTube lectures, they are all short and easy to understand.
Did you know YouTube will close caption videos in many languages?
Sign in with Google to get translations for closed captioning. Click on the settings icon (red arrow.) Choose "Subtitles". English is the default language. Click on the arrow after "English (auto-generated) >". In the new window click on "Auto-translate" and choose the language you want.
FOA Loss Budget
Calculator On A Web Page 5/2020
FOA has written many articles about loss budgets, something everyone involved in fiber optics needs to know and needs to know how to calculate. We recently discovered how to get a spreadsheet ported to a Web page, so we created this web page that calculates loss budgets. We have an iOS loss budget app, but with this web page, you can calculate loss budgets from any device, smart phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer that has web browsing capability.
Bookmark this page (especially on your smartphone): FOA Loss Budget Calculator Online
We are continually updating the Online Reference
Guide to keep up with changes in the industry and
adding lots of new pages of technical information.
When you go to the FOA
Guide Table of Contents to see the latest
updates - look for 
.Recent updates:
FTTH Updates: Added a section on FTTH Network Design, updated Architecture and PONs (10G)
Color Codes For Fiber Optics Includes print your own pocket guide and versions for your smartphone.
Fiber Optic Projects - the FOA Guide to projects from concept to operation
Coherent Communications Systems in the FOA Guide.
Go to The FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
FOA Reference Books
FOA's FTTH Handbook: We've gathered all our information on FTTH from the FOA Guide and past issues of the FOA Newsletter and edited it into a 112 page "FTTH Handbook." We even added a section on planning and managing FTTH Projects.
The Fiber Optic Association Fiber To The Home Handbook is available from Amazon in print and Kindle editions.
Sitio web y manual de FTTH ahora en español
Sitio web y manual de FTTH ahora en español - FTTH Website And Handbook Now In Spanish
El Manual FOA FTTH se ha convertido en el libro FOA más vendido y tiene una calificación de 4.7/5 por parte de los compradores en Amazon.FOA ha notado mucho interés en FTTH en otras áreas del mundo, especialmente en América Central y del Sur, por lo que tradujimos el sitio web de FTTH y el Manual de FTTH al español.
Available in paperback from Amazon or ebook on Amazon Kindle.
Disponible como libro de tapa blanda en Amazon o como libro electrónico en Amazon Kindle.
El sitio web de FOA FTTH ahora en español.
El Manual FOA FTTH se ha convertido en el libro FOA más vendido y tiene una calificación de 4.7/5 por parte de los compradores en Amazon.
FOA ha notado mucho interés en FTTH en otras áreas del mundo, especialmente en América Central y del Sur, por lo que tradujimos el sitio web de FTTH y el Manual de FTTH al español.
Disponible como libro de tapa blanda en Amazon o como libro electrónico en Amazon Kindle.
El sitio web de FOA FTTH ahora en español.
Fiber Optics (4 languages), Premises Cabling, OSP fiber and construction, Network Design, Testing and FTTH
-
The FOA has it's own
reference books for everyone working in fiber
optics - contractors, installers and end users as
well as for use as textbooks in classes at
educational institutions. They are available as
printed books or Kindle at much lower prices than
most textbooks since we self-publish and sell
online, cutting out the middlemen. Click on the
book images for more information. The Reference
Guide To Fiber Optics is also available in
Spanish, French and Portuguese. The Design book is available in English
and Spanish.
Click on any book for more information about it.
FOA has reprinted
"Lennie Lightwave's Guide" on its 25th anniversary in a special print edition.
Lennie and Uncle Ted's Guides are online or as free iBooks on iTunes.
Click on any of the books to learn more.
- Fiber Optic Safety Poster to download and print
Resources For Teachers In K-12 And Technical Schools
Teachers in all grades can introduce their students to fiber optic technology with some simple demonstrations. FOA has created a page for STEM or STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) teachers with materials appropriate to their classes. Fiber Optic Resources For Teachers.
Safety
On Safety
The FOA is concerned about safety!FOA considers safety an integral part of all our programs, curriculum materials and technical materials. We start all our textbooks and their online versions with a section on safety in the first chapter, like this: Before we get started - Safety First!
There are pages on the FOA Guide on Safety procedures Including Eye Safety and. Digging Safely
And a YouTube lecture: FOA Lecture 2: Safety When Working With Fiber Optics
In our OSP Construction Section, these pages cover many safety issues including those related to the construction of the cable plant: Project Preparation And Guidelines, Underground Cable Construction, Underground Cable Installation and Aerial Cable Installation.
There is even a safety poster for the fiber activities: PDF Safety Rules For Fiber Optics
Other Safety Resources:
There is a toll-free
"call before you dig" number in the USA: Dial 811. See www.call811.com
for more information in the US. Here is their map of resources by states.
In Canada, it's "Click Before You Dig.com" They also have a page of resources by US states and Canadian provinces.
The Common Ground
Alliance has an excellent "Best Practices Guide"
online
- The US Department of Transportation has a website called "National Pipeline Mapping System" that allows one to search for buried pipelines.
Why We Warn You To Be Careful About Fiber Shards
Photo courtesy Brian Brandstetter, Mississauga Training Consultantcy
Safety Leader Magazine
Safety Leader, a new quarterly magazine, informs and educates electrical contractors on safety from various angles—electrical, workplace, PPE, regulations, leadership, line work, NFPA 70E, and more. Safety Leader is bundled with ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR in February, May, August and November. To receive Safety Leader subscribe to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine here or subscribe to the ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR newsletter here.
2023 Conference On Damage Prevention In Tampa
Global Excavation Safety Conference
February 14-16, 2023
GlobalExcavationSafetyConference.com:
The magazine, dp-Pro, sponsor of the conference, has also published it's latest issue with an article by FOA on "New Construction Techniques in Fiber Optics" and a overview of the FOA. You can read the magazine here.
When You Bury Marker
Tape, Bury One That Will Work (July 2021)
Signaltape® provides a visual warning by ensuring tape is brought to the surface, alerting the operator to the presence of a buried utility. It includes a 3,000-lb. tensile strength aramid fiber membrane, which ensures the tape is pulled to the surface to alert the excavation crew. Signaltape comes in two sizes: 12″ x 1000′ or 6″ x 1000′.
FOA Corporate Members - Products & Services
List of corporate member information provided by FOA corporate members listed on the FOA website.
FOA/About
About The FOA
- Contact
Us: http://www.foa.org
or email <info@foa.org>
FOA has a company page and four LinkedIn Groups
FOA - official company page on LinkedIn
FOA - covers FOA, technology and jobs in the fiber optic marketplace
FOA Fiber Optic Training - open to all, covers fiber optic technology and training topics
Grupo de La Asociación de Fibra Óptica FOA (Español)
What is The FOA?
The FOA is a, international non-profit educational association chartered to promote professionalism in fiber optics through education, certification and standards.
Founded in 1995 by a dozen prominent fiber optics trainers and leaders from education, industry and government as a professional society for fiber optics and a source of independent certification, the FOA has grown to now being involved in numerous activities to educate the world about fiber optics and certify the workers who design, build and operate the world's fiber optic networks.
Read More
FOA History
FOA Timeline of Fiber Optics
Contact Us
The Fiber Optic Association Inc.
https://www.foa.org or email <info@foa.org>
https://www.thefoa.org or email <info@thefoa.org>
Telephone/text: 760-451-3655
The FOA Home Page
Want to know more about fiber optics? Study for FOA certifications? Free Self-Study Programs are on "Fiber U®." Looking for specific information? Here's the largest technical reference on the web: The FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
Free online self-study programs on many fiber optics and cabling topics are available at Fiber U, FOA's online web-based training website.
-
Contact Us
The Fiber Optic Association Inc.
http://www.foa.org or email <info@foa.org> - Phone:
1-760-451-3655
Fiber Optic Timeline
(C)1999-2022, The Fiber Optic Association, Inc.
FOA Logo Merchandise
-
New FOA Swag! Shirts,
Caps, Stickers, Cups, etc.
Your Name, CFOT® - It pays to advertise!
The FOA encourages CFOTs to use the logo on their business cards, letterhead, truck or van, etc. and provides logo files for that purpose. But we are also asked about how to use the CFOT or CFOS certifications. Easy, you can refer to yourself as "Your Name, CFOT" or "Your Name, CFOS/T" for example.
Feel free to use the logo and designations to promote your achievements and professionalism!
Contact FOA at info@thefoa.org to get logos in file format for your use.Privacy Policy (for
the EU GDPR): The FOA does not
use cookies or any other web tricks to gather
information on visitors to our website, nor do
we allow commercial advertising. Our website
hosts may gather traffic statistics for the
visitors to our website and our online testing
service, ClassMarker, maintains statistics of
test results. We do not release or misuse any
information on any of our members except we will
confirm FOA certifications and Fiber U
certificates of completion when requested by
appropriate persons such as employers or
personnel services.
Read
the complete FOA Privacy Policy here.